Some years ago, a client of mine asked me to create a VPS for a website they were going to host.
As per their request, I set up an Ubuntu VPS with Nginx, PHP, MySQL, Redis, etc. Its job was to support a low-traffic, local website built with Laravel.
I've since lost touch with the client, but the website is still up and running (the VPS is up to date, though Laravel might be slightly behind - I'm not managing it).
This morning, my client (a good person with solid tech skills) told me that their client will be migrating the website to another provider, so they asked for the server specifications. I replied with the details, explaining that it's a simple and stable setup, and that the requirements are low since they only get around 50 visits per day. Easy peasy.
A few hours later, the client came back saying they had been asked for more details, as everything is required for the new setup - even though it's just a basic migration.
Here's what they sent me (copy-pasting the request):
Project Documentation & Codebase
• Source Code Repository Access (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)
• Code Documentation (README files, API documentation, deployment guides)
• Dependency Management (package lists like package.json, requirements.txt, or equivalent)
Project Accounts & Credentials
• Server/Hosting Login (AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean, etc.)
• Database Access (connection strings, admin credentials)
• CI/CD Tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, CircleCI)
• Third-party APIs (API keys, access tokens)
• Domain & DNS Management (Cloudflare, GoDaddy)
Development Environment Setup
• Development Environment Configuration Files (.env files or config scripts)
• Instructions for Local Setup (required tools, frameworks, or virtual environments)
• System Architecture Diagrams
When we explained that we didn’t use most of those things (CI/CD tools - they're not needed here, and "system architecture diagrams" don’t really make sense), they couldn't believe it.
I'm at a loss for words.
Why are we overcomplicating things like this?
It’s just a simple Laravel website. Install Nginx, MySQL, PHP, Redis, and you're good to go.
Do we really need all of this for a low-traffic, small website?
We're unnecessarily overcomplicating things. Sure, this stuff makes sense for more complex setups - but not this one.
By overcomplicating the setup with unnecessary tools and processes, we're not only adding complexity but also consuming more resources - more servers, more power, more energy. Keeping things simple isn’t just practical, it's also more sustainable.